Method for cleaning tires



July 8, 1958 T. H. HARRISON METHOD FOR CLEANINQ TIRES Filed Deo. A6, r1955 TaqLorH. HUrrL'SOI-c ATTORNEY United States Patent O METHOD FOR CLEANING TIRES Taylor H. Harrison, Fort Worth, Tex., assigner of onehalf to Jack Danciger, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application December 6, 1955, Serial No. 551,360

1 Claim. (Cl. 134-7) This invention relates to a method for cleaning automobile tres and the like; and it particularly relates to the cleaning of tires having white side-walls, although it is also effective for black side-wall tires.

The cleaning of tires, and particularly white side-wall tires, is generally a tedious and difficult task because of the thick encrustations of road mud, dust, grit and grime, and because of the ldamages caused by curb scrapings and the like. Because of this, many persons prefer to have their cars washed professionally; but even then, the charges for washing cars having white side-Wall tires is usually greater than otherwise because of the same difiiculties.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a method for cleaning tires, and particularly, white side- Wall tires, which is easy and inexpensive.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for cleaning tires which is highly effective in the results obtained.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved method, of the character described, that are easily and economically practiced and which are highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a View of a device embodying the present invention, shown in operation.

Fig. 2 is a perspective viewof the device.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the device.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a cleaning device, generally indicated at this device being manually held near the side-wall of a tire 12 and the spray applied therefrom onto the side-` wall.

The device, itself, comprises a container 14 having a neck 16. The neck 16 is internally threaded, as at 18, and is adapted to threadedly engage with the external threads 20 on a plug 22.

The plug 22 is provided with a rectangular, nut portion 24 which may be knurled as shown. It is also provided with a pair of longitudinal, laterally-spaced passages 26 and 28. Each of these passages is provided with a lateral portion, as at 30 and 32; these lateral passages extending, in opposite directions, to the outer periphery of the nut portion 24. At their outer ends, these lateral passages are respectively provided with internally threaded outlet and inlet openings, as at 34 and 36.

The plug 22 is insertable into the neck 16 by threading it in, and depending from the bottom end of the plug, within the container when the plug is in place, is a cylindrical screen housing 38 having a screened bottom closure 40.

Also depending from the plug 22, in line with passage ICG 26, is a tube 42 having perforations 44 throughout its length. This tube 42 is entirely positioned within the screen housing 38 and terminates just short of the screen bottom 40.

Another tube 46 depends from the plug 22, and this tube is in line with passage 28. The tube 46 is also perforated throughout its length, as at 48, and extends through the bottom of the screen housing to a position just slightly spaced from the bottom of the container. At its lower end, this tube 46 is externally threaded at 50 and is engaged with the internal threads 52 of a sleeve 54. The sleeve 54 is integral with the top wall of a generally V-shaped closure member 56. Perforations 58 are provided in the top wall of this closure member.

In operation, the plug 22 and its depending parts are removed from the container and through the open neck is inserted a crystalline mass 60. This crystalline mass consists of a mixture of bicarbonate of soda, potassium hydroxide and blueing.

The plug and its depending parts are then re-inserted in the container and a nozzle, shown at 62 in Fig. l, is coupled to the outlet opening 34. A hose 64, leading from a source of compressed air, is then coupled into the threaded inlet opening 36, at which point the device is ready for use.

In use, the nozzle 62 is applied adjacent the tire sidewall and the compressed air is permitted to flow into the device. Appropriate valve mechanism, not shown, is preferably used to control the supply of compressed air. It should here be noted that although compressed air is illustrated as being used, it is possible to merely use atmospheric air. The atmospheric air, when it ows into the container and through the crystalline mass, will vaporize some of the crystals, or at least partially vaporize some crystals, that is, break up some of the crystals into a mist or vapor, and this vapor will be entrained with the air. The vapor-air mixture provides an increased pressure within the container and this causes the mixture to be expelled through the nozzle. The compressed air is preferably used because it provides a greater degree of vaporization of the lcrystals and because it increases the pressure of the air-vapor mixture.

The actual ow of the air is as follows: As the air enters inlet 36, it ows down through tube 46. As it flows through the tube 46, it passes through the perforations 48 as well as through the perforations 58 in member 56. It then passes through the crystalline mass 60 where it acts to cause vaporization. The vapors or mists are entrained in the uptlowing air stream and the mixture passes through the screen housing into the perforated tube 42. Meanwhile, the housing 38 prevents the solid crystals themselves from passing into the tube.

The air-vapor mixture then passes through passage 26 and through the portion 30, to the outlet 34, from whence it is expelled in the form of a spray through the nozzle 62. This spray has a very effective detergent e'ect. After being sprayed, the tires are washed down with water to complete the cleaning action.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

A method of cleaning tire side-walls which comprises passing a stream of compressed air through a readily vaporizable crystalline detergent mass to vaporize at lease a portion thereof, the'vapors being entrained in the air stream, and ejecting the compressed air stream and its entrained vapors against the tire, followed by 3 4 rinsing the treated tire, said detergent mass consisting of 1,198,045 Miller Sept. 12, 1916 bicarbonate of soda, potassium hydroxide, and blueing. 1,521,697 Marschner Ian. 6, 1925 1,540,743 Badaracco June 9, 1925 Referencias Cited 1n the file of thispatent 2,337,906 Lofgren Dec. 28, 1943 UNlTED STATES PATENTS 5 2,477,998 McGowan Aug. 2, 1949 Re. 18,242 Moore Nov. 3, 1931 2,603,534 Miller July 15, 1952 

